Power Rangers: Infinity
by KamikazePyro
Summary: A pocket dimension threatens our reality. It's up to a group of heroes with an unusual hobby to protect our world from harm.
1. Part I

**Power Rangers: Infinity**

**Part I**

**Disclaimer:** Apart from intellectual ideas and original characters, I own nothing from this franchise. This work of fiction is not intended to infringe upon the copyrights held by Saban Brands, Toei, Bandai, Bandai America, TV Asahi, and the Nickolodeon Networks. All text contained in this work is covered under the standards of Fair Use.

**A/N:** This universe is largely the same as ours, including Power Rangers being a television show aimed mostly at kids. For now this is all OCs loosely based off of people from an internet forum, hence why you'll probably be asking yourself what the hell kind of names are these. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy, and if you'd be so kind, please leave a review to let me know what you thought!

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><p>Two sliding doors opened and another young boy was escorted in by security guards.<p>

Aside from him, there were three other boys around his age—give or take a few years—already seated around a long table.

"No fucking way," they each said, staring at the others.

"Wait, wait—Q?! This can't be good if we're all miraculously here together," said Naked Snake, observing the other three as men he'd known from an internet forum. "Super Saiyan 2, Grid, Kyo, and myself."

In the seat next to Naked Snake was Grid Zero, angrily looking around the room for any answers he could find as to why had been taken out of his daily routine and stuck in a room with three of his associates. "I wish they'd hurry up and tell us what the fuck's going on. I've got games to play."

"I cleared my browsing history, I swear," said Super Saiyan 2 nervously, taking a seat next to Kyo.

"You've been awfully quiet despite the abrupt circumstances, Kyo," Snake noted to his friend.

Kyo shrugged. "I'm not sure what to do right now. No point getting heated about it."

They could hear arguing outside. The doors opened once more, and a male and female were shown into the area. They were both dressed formally, the female in a slender black dress that accentuated her firm backside and the male in a sleek black button-up, his hair slicked to the side.

"KP?" Super Saiyan 2 asked, able to recognize him behind the upscale appearance.

The doors closed and the man started scanning the room with his eyes. The female he came in with took a seat, huffed, put one leg over the other, and crossed her arms over her chest.

The man, still scanning the room simultaneously, turned his head to the others in the room. It took him a moment, but he realized who everyone was.

"What the fuck are you guys doing here?" he asked quickly.

"We don't know," replied Super Saiyan 2. "I cleared my browsing history, and I haven't raced for at least a week. There's nothing I can get caught for, right?"

"I was about to study for an important exam," Kyo grumbled.

"Yeah, well, we were on a date when we got hauled away by these assholes, whoever they are," said the female, clearly scorned by this situation.

"This is kidnapping, isn't it?" Grid Zero pondered. It was the obvious answer but he figured asking someone who should be more knowledgeable on the subject wouldn't hurt.

KP paced the room. "Technically, it could be, but I'm not sure yet." He went back to the female he'd come in with, kneeling down and whispering something to her, which prompted a small smile. She rested her head on his shoulder, lightly closing her eyes.

"That's Buffy, I'm assuming?" Snake asked toward the woman.

KP nodded. "I don't understand what's going on here. They took our phones but let us keep our wallets. That's not common."

"They took my phone too," Super Saiyan 2 said, shifting around in his seat. "I can't even check to see if my parents know I'm missing yet."

"Don't worry; I'll get us out of here."

The doors slid open and a man in a grey business suit stepped in. He was almost six feet tall, with broad shoulders and a tough face. His combed over hair was beginning to thin at the front. His gut protruded a bit from his abdominal area, though he looked otherwise in good shape.

KP turned and stood up, standing in front of his female companion protectively.

At this gesture, the middle-aged man surveyed his five recruits, having not had the chance to see them personally until now.

To start off, he couldn't help but notice the forerunner of the group, KP, a man in his early 20s standing at exactly six feet with mildly tan skin and a look of vigilance on his clean-shaven face. The pictures and video clips of him in the organization's personnel file depicted him with a normally spiked hairline, but the circumstances allowed deviation this time. Despite the more fancy dress code, it was clear he was a regular at a gym by the size of him.

With him came Buffy, a heavily athletic woman just a few years older than her companion, making her the eldest of the group. Her bleached blonde hair and green eyes reminded the man of a younger Tara Reid. Her daily workout routine included a ten mile run near Lake Michigan, which kept her in top physical shape and a strong sparring partner for her suitor, as well as to combat the tedious task of sitting through multiple hours of class to achieve her master's degree in nutritional science. She scowled at him, prompting him to move on.

His focus went to Grid Zero, a boy barely into adulthood, who was gaining popularity quickly on social outlets with his furious and critical analysis of video games and anime. With money from his parents and the monetization of his YouTube channels, he was able to live fairly well, but his work at a meat packing store gave him some extra floating money while he searched for a good college to pursue film studies.

After him was Naked Snake, a husky boy only somewhat older than Grid Zero, with a full beard and mustache combination to add to his normally cheerful expression. He was also a student, and enjoyed the mechanics of criminal justice and prosecution. His personnel file attributed to him loyalty, a potent sense of right and wrong, and a dedication to serving the betterment of humanity.

On the other hand, Kyo had a much shallower outlook on humankind. If it came down to it he would no doubt lend a hand, but it wouldn't be his first choice. His intellect and ability to retain information was incredible for someone of his age; he'd participated in countless debates, both formal and informal, on internet forums and had grown to be one of the strongest competitors there was. Like Buffy, Naked Snake, and Super Saiyan 2, he was a student trying not to waste his life. Appearance-wise, he kept his hair gelled in a windswept style, and was only an inch or two shorter than KP, but much lankier as muscle building wasn't on his list of top priorities.

Lastly, Super Saiyan 2 was the clear shortest of the six, but had a sturdier build than Kyo and Grid Zero due to his consistent drive to bulk up. He was also the youngest, mere weeks away from reaching the age of eighteen. He achieved above average marks in school, having the capacity for a higher standard, but sports—particularly golf—kept his mind somewhat preoccupied. He could become a bit of a troublemaker if his mind was allowed to wander.

"I understand you're disoriented and angry," the mature man began, setting a silver briefcase down on the floor next to the entrance. "First of all, I'd like to apologize for taking you away from any prior engagements you may have had." He specifically looked at Buffy, knowing he'd torn her away from a special night. "Truly, I am sorry for the inconvenience." It was very subtle, but he could tell his apology had reached her to some extent.

"What do you want with us?" KP asked firmly.

The man stepped closer to them, reaching into his pocket, which prompted KP to tense up and crouch a bit, as if he had a gun at his hip, though he knew he didn't. The man exhaled, pulling a small white phone out of his inside pocket. He tapped on it a few times and held it up sideways.

The audio was loud enough for them all to hear it relatively clearly. It began with some shuffling, as if someone was adjusting a camera, then a nasally voice came on.

"Heeeeeeeyyyyyy, fag-GOTS listening to this! Guess who's here to teach you all about DBZ? Some of you still believe the most foolish of things. For instance, how can anyone believe Super Saiyan 3 Goku is weaker than Mystic Gohan? That—now that is stupid, and I'm sick of it! I'm going to change everything, get it?! Everything's going to change."

Snake's jaw hung down.

Grid Zero sighed heavily.

Super Saiyan 2 slumped in his chair. "That sounds like Pakl." He'd never heard Pakl's voice, but the mannerisms and idiocy fit pretty well, though not perfectly.

KP kept listening as the recording played.

"How am I going to do that? Huh, lemme think, boys. Oh, I've got it! I'll create my very own army powered by the TROLL virus."

"The TROLL virus?" Snake wondered quietly.

KP's brow rose momentarily at the mention of the TROLL virus. He'd heard of it in meetings with law enforcement officers, but it was fairly recent so he didn't have the time to look into it too deeply.

Pakman continued, "My army will terraform the cyberspace you all take for granted on a daily basis, breaking down every institution that houses your stupid beliefs, destroying everybody that doesn't convert and join me. I will rule this putrid world and each of you will be my personal toilet slaves, you fucking faggots!"

Scrambling unfolded, and another voice could be heard.

"I don't care what you do to me! You'll never succeed!" the voice cried out. "If anyone hears this, kill this motherfucker!"

Kyo listened in. "That sounds like..."

"Clearin!" Grid Zero exclaimed.

"Listen up, you fag-GOTS! This is what's gonna happen to all of you too!" Pakman screamed before flesh tore open and the victim gurgled and coughed. Seconds later it sounded like glass breaking, but distorted and somewhat electronic.

The recording ended. After sliding his fingers around the screen, a picture was brought up. The man walked past each person in the room, displaying a picture of a younger boy with deathly pale skin hooked up to a hospital bed. Once they'd all seen it, he placed the phone back into his pocket.

"What the fuck?" Super Saiyan 2 asked.

"That's Clearin, the one in our world," the man said. "He's in a comatose state. His mind is locked in cyber sleep."

Everyone was silent.

"My name is Vince Heyman, and none of you are being held against your will," the man finally declared, breaking the awkward silence. "You're free to go..." His voice trailed off somewhat as KP, Buffy, and Grid Zero began to leave.

"All right, fuck this," Grid Zero said happily as he left his seat.

Heyman stood his ground, raising a hand to chest level. "...After you hear me out, that is."

With a collective sigh, the group backed down, waiting for what he had to say.

"I run this organization, the Cyberspace Protection Federation. We're based out of America, but we have servers in every country. Like our name suggests, we're a police force for the internet."

"You're lying," KP said bluntly. "The FBI handles cyberspace threats. What does the audio you played have to do with this?"

"We're similar to the FBI, yes," Vince said, clasping his hands. "I'll get straight to the point. I need your assistance with a very special, very peculiar mission. I need you guys to take down Pakman."

"You mean Pakl?" Kyo questioned. He'd never heard of "Pakman," at least not the one this guy was talking about, but he did know of an imbecile from the internet.

"The kid you knew as Pakl doesn't exist anymore. He's now known as Pakman. A program from the Cyber Dimension took control of Pakl, using his mind to continue existing in both planes of life. He'll become a major threat to internet security if he's not stopped. With your particular set of skills and knowledge, you're the only ones capable of this task."

KP looked back to the others, then forward again. He stepped backwards, sitting down beside Buffy, who started giggling. KP then burst into laughter, causing the others to gradually join in. For several moments, the group laughed in unison, finding it unbelievable that someone like him would be considered a threat to anyone.

When he got his composure back, KP exhaled loudly, leaning back in his chair. "Wow. Just incredible. This is stupid."

"He's already taken out one of your friends," said Vince, sterner than before. "I know this sounds like you're on a hidden camera show, but you're not. This is serious. I recruited you lot specifically for this mission. Nobody else can do it." He locked onto KP. "The FBI doesn't know about it, and you and I both know that even if they did, by the time they were able to do anything, it would be too late."

KP stood up, now angered by this joke taken too far. "Pakman is an internet troll! I don't know how much you paid Clearin for that picture, but it doesn't matter. This isn't my problem. This is a waste of my time."

Vince was reaching the end of his patience. He breathed harder as he spoke. "Maybe you don't care, but the rest of the world will when Pakman has collapsed it into the Cyber Dimension."

"What the hell are you even talking about? That doesn't make sense," Grid Zero said, starting to become impatient as well.

"The Cyber Dimension, as we've aptly named it, is a pocket universe—a digital environment that only our organization knows about at this time. It isn't some World of Warcraft game. It's like our world, but digital, yet real. For you guys, it would be like the Digital World from Digimon. I know it makes little sense to you now, but hopefully you'll come to understand it more in the future. Anyway, this Cyber Dimension is unlike anything I've ever come across in my lifetime. My organization has been studying it for a decade now, and we've still only scratched the surface of it. It's incredible."

"If you're being serious about this, what concern is it of ours?" Snake asked, slightly intrigued, though becoming uncomfortable with the lack of officially recognized organizations being notified of this. "I'm still unclear as to what you need us for. We don't know anything about this Cyber Dimension, so how would we help?"

Vince Heyman retrieved the briefcase from the floor, unlatching it and flipping it open. It was lined with soft yet durable cushioning, and in the middle were six microchips. Each one was primarily silver, but had unique identifying color trims—red, blue, black, pink, green, white.

Super Saiyan 2 and Kyo had to lean forward to see the small pieces of technology.

"Micro SD cards?" Grid Zero wondered.

Heyman nodded once. "Yes. They're state-of-the-art micro SD cards, but they're not simply for general cell phone use; oh, they're much more than that." He reached behind him and grabbed a long phone in a dark blue case.

"Hey, that's my phone!" Snake exclaimed, tempted to lurch forward but remembering he was in a completely unknown place. If he acted out, he may be punished severely.

Heyman removed the back plate of the phone, much to Snake's dismay. He slid the micro SD card into its designated slot, then rebuilt the phone and pressed the POWER button on the side.

To everyone but Heyman's amazement, the phone booted up immediately—faster than any phone they'd ever seen before. But instead of going to the default starting screen, the phone prompted for a user identification using voice or retinal proof. In the middle of the screen, in the background, was the CPF emblem, which was the globe backed by the Zelda Tri-Force symbol.

"Snake, I'd like to test this with you first," Heyman admitted.

"I don't really have much of a choice, now, do I?" Snaked half-heartedly joked.

Heyman approached the boy, holding the phone out in front of his face. Blue lasers flung out, practically latching onto the boy's face. Snake flinched back at first until he realized he was in no pain, that the lasers were simply scanning him. The phone beeped when it was finished, and the lasers retreated.

"User confirmed: Infinity Blue Ranger."

The others were bewildered, filled with a mixture of shock and wonder. They had no idea what the phone had just done, nor what its message meant.

With a huge grin on his face, Heyman declared, "It worked."

"I..." Snake began, slightly tilting his head. "What?"

Despite their displeasure with being kidnapped, they all watched as the older man implanted their phones with the cryptic SD chips.

"Now, boot up your phones," he ordered enthusiastically.

Reluctantly, the group commenced the task one by one.

"User confirmed: Infinity Black Ranger."

"User confirmed: Infinity Green Ranger."

"User confirmed: Infinity White Ranger."

Super Saiyan 2, Kyo, and Grid Zero, respectively, were just as amazed and shocked as Drew had been.

KP and Buffy were the only two left. Buffy held her phone by her waist, contemplating whether to go through with it. Being the girlfriend of a police officer, she was a lot more wary of this than the others had been. She stared at her Samsung device until KP spoke, shifting her attention.

"Hold on. We're not doing anything with our phones until I know what's going on. What is an Infinity Ranger?" he demanded to know. Given one of the names of a forum he frequented was The Infinity Forum, it was an odd coincidence this new program included a piece of that name in its coding.

"Sounds like a Power Rangers rip-off," Grid Zero murmured to himself.

"That's where the inspiration came from," Heyman said, glancing at Grid Zero. "To put this as simply as I can, you'll become a tactical enforcement squad for the Cyberspace Dimension. You'll become the Infinity Rangers which, as you probably pieced together by now, is homage to your internet forum." He began to move back toward the door again. "Yeah, we know a lot about you guys."

"That's not creepy at all," Buffy commented sarcastically.

"Like I said, you're all free to go now," Heyman said as the door opened, taking a step into the archway. "But if you choose to stay, there's a training exercise I'd like you to participate in before we go any further." He glanced at KP and Buffy, the two most resilient to his objective, but kept talking to everyone in the room. "I can't make your choice for you, but I do hope you'll make the right one. The lives of many innocent people are hanging in the balance. What do you say?"

Completely the same as the one from the Command Center in the original Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, an alarm blared out in the hallway loud enough for them all to hear, but quiet enough for them to carry on a conversation.

Heyman's face grew distressed. He turned back to the others.

"It's him. It's Pakman. He's making another attack. Please, just trust me on this!"

Grid, Super, Naked Snake, and Kyo moved to the exit, eager to get out and simultaneously prepared to follow Heyman. KP remained stone-faced on the matter, Buffy rising to her feet but staying behind him.

"We don't have time for this!" Heyman raised his voice. "You four, come with me." He glared at KP and Buffy.

He practically galloped out of the room like a gazelle running from a lion, the four boys following suit, Super Saiyan 2 staying a moment longer to observe KP.

After the five had left the room, KP punched the wall. "Damn it!" He held up his phone. "I wish I knew what was going on so I could call this in!"

"We can't just leave them here," Buffy said. "We have no idea what this place really is. If we leave, imagine the horrible things—"

"I know, I know. I just...Alright, you leave. Don't use that phone. Get out of here, find a different phone, and let my friends at the department know what's going on."

He began toward the door, but Buffy grabbed his bicep firmly, turning him around. "You know damn well I'm not leaving you here alone," she said, frowning.

"Buff, this isn't—"

She tightened her grip. "I am not leaving you. Either we're both getting out of here or we're both staying. What's your choice?"

KP shook his head angrily, clenching his fist, then took off, dragging her with him.

The hallways of the complex were lit up red from the alarm, and plastered with signs and directions of the building. Several employees were rushing back and forth between rooms, oblivious to the group.

They traversed a couple of hallways, coming to a double-door with a sign above labeled "CYBER DEPLOYMENT." Heyman entered a PIN on the keypad to the side and both doors slid apart, allowing them entrance. Once inside, they immediately observed a large, circular metal ring standing in front of the left wall, a steel ramp leading up to it. The gate was hooked up to a thick cable that ran across the floor and into a processor that was likewise attached to a whole row of monitors, a unit of employees stationed in front of them.

"Is that a Stargate?" Snake wondered, recognizing the similarity between the ring on the wall and the inter-dimensional transporter from the popular TV show _Stargate SG-1_.

Heyman pointed at the metal ring. "That's the Cyber Gate. It'll take you to the Cyberspace Dimension. Once you're in, I'll give you further instructions! Hurry!" He gave a signal to the techs seated in front of the consoles. "Open the gate."

They acknowledged his command with a collective nod, turning back to their computers and entering in sequences of keystrokes. The gate powered up with a hiss of smoke, and several latches shifted around before misty blue plasma coated the wall inside the confines of the metal.

"Shit, this is serious," realized Super Saiyan 2 as he rushed to the gate. He looked around at the others. Grid was on the opposite side of Drew, while Kyo next to him.

"Get ready, boys!" Heyman called out from the front of the room by the monitors. He gleamed at his employees for some moments, as if having a silent conversation.

KP and Buffy had entered the room at this point, observing the chaos of the situation. KP located the boys, making a beeline toward them.

"Hey, watch yourselves in there," he told them. "I don't know what this guy's up to. That's why I'm staying here to make sure nothing happens."

Super Saiyan 2 gave a slight nod, completely nervous about what was to come. "Just don't let him murder us all in here. We still need to race."

KP grinned. "Don't worry."

The gate beeped, a light at the center top turning green. KP backed off, finding Buffy again and walking to the control center by Heyman.

"If you hurt my friends, you won't go to prison," he warned the broad-shouldered man. "I'll kill you."

Heyman didn't have time to argue his side. He simply acknowledged the threat and returned to his duties, sliding an ear piece into his right ear.

Martin, clearly the oldest man in the room by the looks of his gray hair and much wrinkled skin, batted his fingers into the keyboard at his station. "Program initiated, sir. Vital signs appear as expected."

"Good. Send them in."

Buffy peered at a monitor on the far left. The screen was split between the four viewpoints of Grid, Kyo, Snake, and Super. They were each looking at a skyscraper with about 15 stories to it. There didn't appear to be any other buildings around, and the sun was nearly set.

"Where are they?" she asked. "I don't recognize that area."

"The Cyber Dimension," Heyman answered. "Specifically, they're in the 10th District. That building there is the Silph Corporation Tower. It's nearly 200 feet tall and produces weapons for Pakman's army."

"You're going after his weapons supply?" KP inquired, a bit puzzled by this decision. "I thought you sent them to get Pakman directly."

"He should be there," said Heyman. "Our scan indicated his data signal in that building. He must be making a special order if he's there. Usually he sends one of his generals." He pressed on his ear piece once. "Rangers, can you hear me?"

Kyo's voice was heard clearly over the intercom. "We can hear you. What are we doing here? What even is this place?"

"It's a building Pakman uses to make his weapons. Apparently he's making a special appearance, so be ready. Oh! Before you advance, you should be informed about your morphers."

Even in this situation, Grid Zero managed to snicker at the word. "Morphers..."

"Your morphers are your cell phones. If you get into trouble, or a fight you can't handle, use them. All you have to do is give the command: 'execute Infinity Drive'. Does everyone understand?"

"Uh, sure, I guess."

"Okay. Head in."

* * *

><p>The Infinity crew was stilled dressed in their street clothes, not really sure what to make of the situation. They apprehensively headed toward the tower, stepping inside one at a time. The tower was very spacious, with a long hallway leading toward an elevator in the back.<p>

No sooner did they enter the premises did an alarm go off.

"Shit, we fucked up already," Super Saiyan 2 said.

The elevator dinged, the doors opened, and two snarling behemoths entered the scene.

* * *

><p>Heyman grumbled, then said, "Get ready for a fight. It looks like you'll have to go through them."<p>

Buffy widened her eyes, then raised an eyebrow. Was she seriously seeing werewolves, or was this a simulation?

"Werewolves? Vince, these are kids. Tell them to get out of there right now before they get hurt," ordered KP. "If you think I won't report this entire operation, you're wrong."

"They'll be fine. Trust me."

KP crossed his arms, shaking his head at the situation. It never occurred to him that an organization such as this could exist, at least not in his lifetime. Putting young guys who hadn't fought seriously before in a situation like this was unbelievable to him. He was admittedly very curious about what was going on.

Buffy put her arm around his waist, looking up to him with concerned eyes. "I really don't like this."

KP put his arm around her. "I won't let anything happen to them."

* * *

><p>The boys stared at the two beasts twenty meters ahead of them, unsure what to make of this situation. Was this serious? Was this entire thing just a virtual reality test?<p>

Snake held his hands up. "Whoa, hold on a damn minute. We definitely didn't sign up for some supernatural bullshit." He looked to his teammates. "Are we really about to stick around with these things right there? Come on, guys. Let's leave before it's too late."

The bulkier werewolf stepped forward.

* * *

><p>Martin observed the vital signs of the boys closely, watching every peak and valley with purpose. It was his job to make sure they were in good health, and should anything disrupt that, he would report it to Vince Heyman at once. With the threat of confrontation looming, the boys' heart rates had gone up higher than they were at the start of the mission.<p>

"Vital signs are rising," he informed his commander. "But that's to be expected in this situation."

Heyman acknowledged this and watched his project progress.

"You're just going to let them get into it with those things?" Buffy wondered, looking over to him. "What happens when one of those kids is mauled to death? Have you even thought about that?"

"That won't happen," Heyman said quickly. "They should be able to handle themselves."

* * *

><p>The two beasts began their approach.<p>

"Uh, what's going on, guys?" Super Saiyan 2 asked his friends.

"Maybe they're not gonna try to kill us?" said Grid Zero. He immediately facepalmed. "What the fuck am I saying? Of course they are."

"Look out!" shouted Kyo as the two beasts displayed surprising speed, pouncing in front of the group within moments, so fast they could barely be seen.

"Fuck this!" Super Saiyan 2 exclaimed, trying to turn back toward the door.

* * *

><p>"What exactly are those things?" KP asked in a demanding tone.<p>

"Creations of Pakman," Heyman explained, tapping his index finger to his chin. "We've encountered them a couple of times before. They have incredible strength and, as you already witnessed, speed so quickly the human eye can hardly respond. We call them Lycanthropes. They're vicious soldiers that serve no purpose but to be Pakman's slaves. This could be trouble."

KP stepped forward, finding it hard not to punch Heyman right in the jaw. "Get them out of there! They're kids, not trained soldiers. They have no business with this kind of shit."

"The fight has begun," one of the techs said, gleaming at the screen in front of him.

"Vitals are rising rapidly," said Martin.

* * *

><p>The four boys split up, each running haphazardly in their own direction. The two Lycanthropes pursued them with haste, wasting no time in knocking them all to the ground. Their powerfully built legs provided them easy access to speed that made the boys look like turtles running from dogs.<p>

Grid Zero managed to roll to his feet but as soon as he got up, he was grabbed by the neck and tossed hard into a wall, finding it arduous to get back up. As he looked around, he saw Super Saiyan 2 narrowly duck a slash from the beast's three-inch claws and retaliate with a punch to no effect. The skinnier boy was picked up and slammed into the ground, emitting a loud cry as his shoulder blades hit the tile floor. Drew had fared no better, lying helplessly on the floor. He had several slashes across his abdominal area from the claws of his assailant, blood trickling out of the lacerations. Kyo had the unfortunate luck of being pinned to the wall with one hand large enough to envelop his whole head while being punched in the kidneys, unable to scream out.

* * *

><p>"They're going to be killed!" Buffy screamed at Heyman.<p>

KP seethed, glancing toward the gate. Buffy caught his glance, the two sharing a moment of mutual understanding. Both had the best intentions in mind, safety be damned.

Heyman took to his ear piece, beginning to sweat a bit. "Boys, activate your morphers!"

"What?!" one of them shrieked over the radio. Through all of the other screaming and chaos, it was tough to decipher which one of them had said it.

"Your morphers—your phones!" Heyman reiterated, stumbling over his words. "Activate them! Hurry!"

* * *

><p>Panting and only able to get to one elbow on the floor, Grid Zero painfully reached for the phone in his pocket. He pressed the power button, the screen coming up asking for user identification.<p>

"Execute...Infinity Drive..." he huffed, grunting as he sat up.

Time stood still. Would the phone react to his command? If it did, what exactly would happen? All of that plowed into his head as he sat against the wall, simultaneously wondering how he got himself into this situation. He was a student in his final year of high school, making a name for himself on YouTube reviewing terrible anime and video games. He was the creator of the Infinity internet forum, and had dealt with Pakl on numerous occasions, but what was so special about him that he was chosen to enter into this situation? What could he do that a highly trained FBI agent couldn't? It boggled his mind. Every possible explanation he could think of had a clear counter based in reality. If he made it out of this, he needed to know the full story.

That got him thinking of something else—what would happen if he was mortally wounded or even killed in this "cyber dimension"? Would that translate to his real life self? Would it work in reverse fashion as well? The rules were muddled to him.

"...Infinity Drive initiated."

The phone lit up instantly, a white orb of light engulfing the boy, preventing an oncoming attack from one of the Lycanthropes. The light blazed stronger, pushing the Lycanthrope away. Grid Zero felt himself being lifted to his feet, an unreal burst of stamina and adrenaline pumping through his entire body. He wouldn't have been able to describe it to anyone who didn't experience it themselves, but he could feel his body being reworked as the light controlled him. A white-laced grid came up before him, pressing into him and altering to act as sort of a "skeleton" of his Ranger suit.

The light attracted the other Lycanthrope, who ran over and attacked, but was deflected like his comrade. As well as the Lycanthropes, the other members of the Infinity team had taken notice of the event, recalling Heyman's orders. From the outside, it appeared as if Grid was undergoing a Super Saiyan transformation.

After its dazzling display, the light faded, revealing Grid Zero in a black armor-like exoskeleton, his torso outlined by a pristine white frame connected by a crossbar on the chest, the frame protruding savagely from his shoulders. A collar cupped his neck, white bracers wrapped around his forearms, and boot cuffs surrounded his upper calves, all in his respective white color. His gloves and boots were black, contrasting strongly with all of the white. His helmet was also black with a white frame and black visor, a silver mouth plate adorned with black "teeth" rounding it out. To top it all off, wrapped around his waist was a white belt with a gold-and-black "∞" buckle, white stripes outlining his pelvis.

* * *

><p>"It's actually true?" KP quietly said to himself.<p>

Heyman was delighted to see his creation in such brilliant glory. It was finally time to see it in action. His eyes glistened and his lips turned upwards, almost creepily.

"He looks like a Power Ranger," Buffy said, fascinated as she got closer to the monitor. "But like one of those evil ones... I forget what they're called."

"The Psycho Rangers," KP declared, in awe of the product himself. He'd always favored the Psycho Ranger design over any other in the Power Ranger franchise, but seeing it even from a monitor was a great experience, the nostalgia beginning to pump through his body. The only things missing from Grid Zero's suit were the silver studs on the gloves and pelvis region, but their absence didn't hamper the visual at all.

* * *

><p>Reinvigorated, Grid Zero could hardly contain his vigor. The adrenaline running through him was incredible. His muscles were pumped, his heart was pounding; his wounds were a thing of the past. His mind zeroed in on the Lycanthropes, thoughts of destroying them being all he could muster. Now he was the Infinity White Ranger.<p>

The Lycanthropes, drawn to this newest white oddity, charged at him. Normally they'd be too quick for the human eye to follow very well, but the advanced visor on his helmet and the adrenaline surging through him made them appear as if they were running only slightly faster than the average person. The lankier beast was the first to reach him, outstretching its long arms, its muscles tensing for the kill.

The Infinity White Ranger sidestepped the attack, allowing the beast to hurdle past him and hit the wall. It turned swiftly—right into a thunderous fist from the White Ranger, knocking it off balance and onto one leg.

Infinity White held his hands up to chest level, evaluating them, taken aback by his improved strength. "This is too unreal. This has to be a trick." He didn't notice it himself, but his voice had been altered as well, sounding more twisted and digital than it usually would.

Watching the fight unfold, the others had almost forgotten that they possessed the same ability. Kyo was the first to his feet, retrieving his phone. He gave a stern look to Naked Snake and Super Saiyan 2, both of whom echoed his thoughts.

"Execute Infinity Drive!" they all shouted in unison.

Their morphers responded automatically, "Infinity Drive initiated."

Orbs of green, blue, and black light formed around the respective callers, the skeletons forming around their bodies within. The Ranger suits quickly covered the boys and their lights faded together. They checked themselves and each other out, investigative about the new transformations. Each of them had a suit virtually the same as Grid Zero's, the only differences being the frames and highlights were in their respective colors – Kyo's a rich green, Naked Snake's a lucid blue, and Super Saiyan 2's a polished shade of black with a gold collar replacing the standard white of the others.

"Holy shit, I feel completely new!" Infinity Black exclaimed, flexing his back where he'd been slammed onto the floor. It felt as if he'd never been injured in the first place. "I feel like I could lift a bus!"

"You sound...odd," Blue noted as he listened to Black speak. "Like your voice is echoing or something."

"So do you," Green said. "I assume we all have altered voices while morphed."

One of the Lycanthropes landed behind the three of them, snarling viciously before lunging at Infinity Black. Infinity Blue reacted almost involuntarily, shoving the Lycanthrope out of its intended path. The beast spun back around, slashing wildly at Infinity Blue, who dodged each swipe with minimal effort. He jumped back, doing a back-flip in midair, landing on his feet beside the Green and Black Rangers.

"Fuck, did I just do a back-flip? This really is unbelievable," Blue commented, surprised at his nimbleness.

"All right, there are four of us," Infinity Green said to his comrades. "I suggest we divide up into two pairs. I'll stay here with Super Saiyan 2. Snake, you help Grid. I figure our forces are best utilized that way. Agreed?"

"Sounds good," replied Infinity Black.

"You got it," Infinity Blue said, jolting away from them.

* * *

><p>Heyman watched on like a proud father who was witnessing his son play as the star quarterback of a varsity team.<p>

KP had to admit, he enjoyed watching this as well. He was actually seeing some of his childhood favorites in action, albeit under different identities. A large part of him wanted to get in on the action, but weariness still lingered in his mind.

Martin was still concerned. He'd had a hand in the creation of the suits himself, and had full confidence in them, but just because the boys were wearing them didn't mean they'd automatically win. "The suits are at 100% functionality, sir. Vitals are returning to normal, save for the induced adrenaline that comes with the morphing sequence. Hopefully the boys will be able to use those suits to their fullest potential."

"I have faith that they'll be able to," said Heyman. In truth, he wanted to believe the boys would succeed, but a small part of him knew they were simply inexperienced youths, so the possibility of failure was still there.

* * *

><p>The battle between the Infinity Rangers and the Lycanthropes was well underway, Blue and White taking on one while Green and Black took on the other. It was the first combat situation the boys had gotten into as the Infinity Rangers, and the Lycanthropes weren't making it easy for them.<p>

Infinity White spun himself in a half-circle, delivering a kick to the furry behemoth's gut. The kick was promptly followed up by a kick from Infinity Blue to the wolf's lower back. The two Rangers repeated their combo several times before the wolf became keen to their pattern, grasping both of their legs and throwing them through the air. It pursued them, punching Blue to the floor and pushing White further through the air until he hit a wall on the other end of the room, slightly cracking the drywall.

Blue got to his feet, barely feeling the effects of that last attack. This suit was more durable than he figured it would be. Seeing Infinity White in trouble, he inserted himself back into the fight.

On the opposite side of the room, Infinity Green and Black were handling their Lycanthrope with just as much difficulty, or lack thereof. The snarling beast charged at Green, who hopped out of the way. It came back around, finding Black and attacking him. It threw its arms out, grabbing him by the biceps, its claws beginning to dig into the suit, and lifted him up a foot off the floor. It opened its large mouth, showing off its serrated teeth just waiting to rip into his flesh, when Infinity Green came from the side, slamming a shin right into its cheek, causing the beast to yelp in pain and back off.

"Thanks," Infinity Black said.

"Anytime," replied his teammate, jumping into the air as the Lycanthrope pursed them once more.

They split up. As the Lycanthrope was occupied with Infinity Black, Infinity Green made his move. He let gravity do its job, carrying him down for a double axe-handle smash. Unfortunately, the Lycanthrope was smarter than this, looking up just in time and grabbing his clasped fists in its hand. It pulled him into a huge knee, then kicked him away, returning to Infinity Black.

The Black Ranger fought back, throwing a punch. He followed up with a sequence of jabs and then a forward kick, dealing a decent amount of damage to the beast. The beast fell to one knee, seemingly injured more than the Ranger figured. The boy was weary at first, but slowly approached nonetheless.

"No, it's a trap!" yelled Green from a few meters away, recovering from his head injury.

Suddenly it leapt up, grabbing Black by the neck and lifting him off the floor, similar to how it had done just a minute ago. Black struggled in its grip, but wasn't strong enough to break out. He beat on its arms to no avail.

"Infinity Black's heart rate is increasing rapidly!" Martin alerted the others in the control room.

Buffy shifted her eyes from the battle to the monitor that displayed the vitals of each Ranger, finding that Martin's words were true, troubling her. She looked back to the video monitor.

Heyman spoke into his ear piece, "Rangers, your teammate is in trouble!"

The other Rangers received Heyman's message.

"Think you can handle this thing while I help Kyo and Super?" Blue asked, facing White.

"Go on, I've got this," White said, preparing for another round with his foe.

As Infinity Blue headed toward the fight between Black and the other Lycanthrope, he noticed a green-yellow electrical surge flowing around Black's body, feint at first but then becoming strong.

* * *

><p>"What's going on with him?" Buffy wondered, worry in her voice.<p>

Martin smiled, knowing exactly what was about to happen. "Electric discharge, a lethal offensive feature of the suits."

* * *

><p>The green-yellow electricity surged all around the Black Ranger's body, then converged into his gauntlets. With a mighty shout, Black shot the electricity at the Lycanthrope like Emperor Sidious hitting Mace Windu. The wolf held onto him for a few moments, but was soon overcome with searing pain. Coupled with the pain was the force of the lightning itself, kicking it several meters away. It smashed right through the front doors, staying down as its fur smoked slightly before it dissolved into barely visible data particles.<p>

Black landed on his feet after that encounter, panting and staring at his hands in total disbelief that he'd just done something like that. "Damn!"

* * *

><p>"That's just one of the unique functions of those suits," Martin stated, almost giddy-like.<p>

"Psycho Lightning," KP whispered, even more tuned into the battle now. He wondered what other similarities were built into the Infinity Ranger arsenal. "Those suits...what are they? They're clearly not spandex."

"Self-assembling nano-fiber formed with an inter-cellular shape memory alloy," Martin said as if everyone in the room knew exactly what he was saying. "There are so many features, I could spend hours trying to explain them all."

"Unfortunately, we don't have hours right now," Heyman interrupted. "You can explain to everybody when we've finished the mission."

* * *

><p>"Did you just shoot goddamn <em>lightning<em> out of your hands?!" Infinity Blue inquired.

Before Black could answer, their attention was brought to White snarling loudly as he held the Lycanthrope he was facing in a sleeper hold. It struggled but eventually used its long arms to reach back, grab White, and chuck him away. White landed on his feet, stumbling back from the momentum.

As the Lycanthrope prepared to attack him again, the other three Infinity Rangers hopped in, making the fight completely one-sided. Blue came from one side, kicking at one leg of the beast, Black coming from the other side to hit the opposite leg. With the beast forced to its knees, Green ran up, lifted off from Blue's shoulders, and bicycle-kicked it in the back of the head, pushing it forward—right into a vicious uppercut from White that caused it to instantly digitize, signifying the Rangers' victory.

"Great job, Rangers!" Heyman commended them, smiling and crossing his arms. "But your job isn't finished yet. Pakman still has to be dealt with. Proceed up the tower." He turned his head to KP and Buffy. "Still having doubts?"

"Let's go find this cocksucking faggot and finish this," Infinity White said, moving toward the elevator in a hurry. "I need to get home and play FEAR 2."

They climbed into the elevator, pausing as the doors closed.

"I assume we're supposed to go to the top floor," said Blue.

"No, we should probably go floor by floor and take our time," White responded.

Blue scoffed at his teammate's sarcasm and pressed the button for the fifteenth floor. The elevator dinged and began its ascension.

"So what do you guys think?" asked Infinity Black, examining his suit. "Personally, I could get used to this. The power is amazing."

"How did you do that lightning thing earlier?" Green asked.

Black shrugged. "I'm not sure. It just happened when I got pissed off."

Infinity Green clenched his fists, holding them out in front of him. His eyes hardened inside his helmet, his focus increasing. His gloves sparked for a split second, then a full-on mass of lightning flung out and hit the wall directly in front of him, boomeranging around the elevator, the other Rangers ducking down in a panic, until he raised his arms and absorbed it back into his suit.

"What the fucking fuck?!" Infinity Blue screamed, slowly rising from his crouched position. "Nice going!"

"You dumbass!" Black said loudly, punching Green playfully on the chest.

Green chuckled nervously, half-amused at the incident and half-shocked that he figured out how to do control the ability on his first try. "My bad."

Brushing himself off, White cleared his throat. "Well, at least we don't look like faggots in spandex with an obvious zipper in the back," he grumbled, referencing the actual Power Ranger costumes used to film the series.

"Anyway, I'm not sure about this," said Blue tentatively, unintentionally trailing off of White's words. "Law enforcement agencies have a right to know about this if it really is true, which I'm still debating at the moment."

Green added, "For what it's worth, this is an awful lot of trouble to go through just to scam us. This technology is incredibly advanced, enough to be able to create a completely digital world opposite ours. It can't be cheap, so why take the risk if this wasn't serious? Why bring in someone like KP, who could easily ruin the entire 'plan' or whatever, if this wasn't genuine?"

Infinity White sighed, turning his head to Green. "Did you accidentally swallow a dick back there? Please tell me you're not buying into this crap. You're smarter than that, Kyo."

"I'm merely saying it's a possibility, a strong on at that," Green responded, shrugging his shoulders a bit. "I didn't say it was what I personally believed."

"This is obviously a virtual illusion. We were drugged at some point and this is all in our heads. There's no technology on the planet capable of creating some Digimon world and making us into Power Rangers rip-offs. I mean, if technology like this existed, why not put it to actual use and give it to the military? Hell, game developers would have a fucking field day with this shit."

"If it's all in our heads, how are we interacting with each other like this?" Blue questioned, jumping into the conversation after White's mini-rant.

White was stumped so he quickly changed the subject. "It doesn't matter. As soon as we're finished 'battling the sinister Pakman and his troll army,' I'm outta here. I have much better things to be doing. I honestly don't even know why I followed that Vince McMahon—"

"Vince Heyman." Green held his hands up like Neil Degrasse Tyson to round off his quick correction.

"Whatever! I don't know why I'm here," White finished his comment. "It was a mistake."

"To be honest, I don't know why I allowed myself to get put in this situation either," Black said. "For all I knew, he could've been leading us into some torture chamber where we'd get pots shoved up our asses and made to suck the balls of old men on bridges."

White chuckled at that reference.

The bell dinged. They'd arrived at their destination.

"Who the fuck are you faggots?" a high-pitched voice asked as the doors opened to reveal the team.

Standing at an intimidating 6'8", weighing at least 250 pounds, was their intended target, Pakman. He was wrapped in an orange gi reminiscent of Goku from Dragon Ball Z, with the undershirt, wrist cuffs, boots, and belt colored black instead of blue. Even the man's hairstyle was similar to that of Goku's. His eyes were white and pupil-less, like Broly's, another character from the popular anime.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me," Infinity White said in a deadpan tone. "This guy is a total faggot! He's supposed to be the Big Bad here? Those werewolves looked tougher than him. The _shit_ I took this morning looked tougher than him!"

The other Rangers chuckled at White's insults. They quieted down as green, alien-like midgets clustered around Pakman, their eyes a glowing red.

"Grwargghgh!" they shrieked.

* * *

><p>"Seriously? <em>Saibamen<em>?" KP asked, watching the monitors. "Why not the Ginyu Force or something at least a little more threatening?"

"Creating warriors requires energy," answered Heyman. "The stronger the warrior the more energy it takes. These Saibamen, as you call them, only require a small source of power to produce in large quantities."

Buffy said, "They shouldn't be a problem, then, right?"

Heyman rubbed his chin. "Physically, they're nowhere near as big of a threat as the Lycanthropes. It's their sheer numbers that make them troublesome."

"If they're anything like they are in DBZ, they can also self-destruct," added KP, thinking of the repercussions of such an event. "Can those suits withstand explosive force?"

Martin thought about it for a moment. Truth be told, even he was a bit apprehensive about that aspect. He'd tested the suits, but that was in a lab setting. "They should be able to," he said, not entirely sure of his answer.

* * *

><p>"We're here to stop you," Infinity Blue shouted. "Your time is up, Pakl."<p>

Pakman folded his arms. "Oh, now I know who you are. I didn't recognize you with those silly Power Ranger costumes on. You must be the dumbasses from DBZF. I didn't think you'd show up."

"My suit's not silly," Infinity Green said under his breath.

"_We_ look silly? Oh, that is rich." Infinity White began to laugh to himself. "You look like Broly and Goku had an illegitimate child."

Pakman sneered. "That was weak. Saibamen, show these faggots why Goku is stronger than Gohan."

The alien midgets scrambled together, flinging themselves at the Infinity Rangers.

"Eight against four, huh?" Blue said, preparing for the fight as he slightly crouched. "I guess we each get—"

Without a single word, Infinity Black had already engaged the entire group, grabbing hold of one and running through them, using the one he'd grabbed as a baseball bat to smack the others with. When they were all down, he dropped his improvised bat and kicked it like a soccer ball. It hit the wall and ricocheted into the ceiling, bouncing down and smashing into the floor, seemingly defeated.

"Or that works," Blue finished his statement, lightly annoyed by Black's hastiness without conferring with the rest of the team.

"That was too easy," Green noted. "Why didn't they self-destruct?"

Almost as if on cue, the fallen Saibamen bolted up, screeching and attempting to latch onto Infinity Black like leeches. The Ranger was quick enough to dodge all but three of them, which grasped firmly onto his ankle. With a satanic smile, they lit up like a disco ball.

"Super Saiyan 2!" Infinity Blue screamed out to his teammate.

The Saibamen blew up like a grenade, smoke and flames covering the Black Ranger before gravity pulled him down. He hit the ground with a loud thud, the other Rangers coming to his aid. Blue and Green picked him up, observing the damage he sustained from the kamikaze attack.

* * *

><p>Martin and the others looked upon the monitors, seeing Black's boot and leg armor scuffed but with minor scratches. Martin released his jaw after gritting his teeth in fear.<p>

"His vitals rose greatly from that attack and the Black Ranger's tibia appears bruised," Martin said. "The suit sustained moderate damage."

* * *

><p>"Hey, you all right, Super?" Blue asked, watching his teammate struggle to stand on both feet.<p>

White put his arm in front of his injured teammate. "You stay back while we handle this dildo."

"I can still fight!" Black protested, seething as he put his full weight on his injured right leg. "Fuck!"

"Don't be an idiot," Green said. "Just stay here and hold off for a while. We'll be fine. It's only Pakl, after all. How hard could it be to beat him?"

"Hey, faggots, enough stalling!" Pakman shouted. "It's time to teach you all a lesson in logic! You're about to face your doom, just like if Mystic Gohan tried to fight Super Saiyan 3 Goku."

A whirlwind of data particles spun out from a small portal that opened up to the side of Pakman, gradually forming the general shape of what looked to be another human. The particles settled in, showing a red-colored demonic being adorned in a light blue suit that covered his whole body minus his chest and upper half of his abdominal area. A pointed white cape was attached at the shoulders. With a goatee and two horns atop his head, the Infinity Rangers immediately recognized this being as Dabura from DBZ.

"Shit, this isn't good," Infinity Blue said.

"Have fun getting schooled, losers," Pakman said, disappearing into thin air.

"Hey, you asshole, come back here!" Green yelled. "What a fucking coward."

"Master Pakman is of no concern to you. Your fight is with me," Dabura spoke.

Trying to hide his intimidation, Infinity White clenched a fist and pointed at Dabura. "You were trash in DBZ and you're trash here!" He looked to his teammates. "Let's beat this idiot and go home!"

Dabura merely smirked and gestured for them to approach him.

* * *

><p>"Dabura?" Heyman's voice became quieter as he focused on the monitors. "This is bad. He's one of Pakman's top generals... Martin, keep me updated!"<p>

"Yes, sir."

Buffy squeezed KP's hand in anticipation as the fight commenced.

"Heyman, Pakl has limits, doesn't he?" KP asked.

Heyman turned to him. "What do you mean?"

"Dabura is from a pretty powerful anime. In that show he can destroy whole planets with ease. Pakl can't actually create someone with that much power, can he?"

Heyman had to think about it for a minute. He'd never seen the anime in question, but he had seen Dabura cause serious damage before. "I don't think so. It would take an extreme amount of energy for him to create something with the power to blow up even a single planet. But even though this Dabura is nothing compared to the one you may be thinking of, he's still a very incredible foe—much tougher than the Lycanthropes."

* * *

><p>Beginning the battle, Infinity White was threw a couple right hooks, but Dabura dodged and got him in the ribs with a swinging knee, bending White over from the pain. Blue jumped in with a straight punch as Green arrived from a different angle to offer a punch as well. Dabura snickered and grabbed both of their fists, pulling them together so they collided with each other and fell to the floor.<p>

As Dabura admired his work, Infinity White came in, hitting him with a sick-looking spear that nearly sliced the villain in half. White got up and dropped down again, jamming his elbow into Dabura's chest. Dabura cried out in pain as Green and Blue picked him up and kneed him in the gut simultaneously.

Infinity Black commanded, "Hold him still. I'm gonna roast his ass." He began charging up a lightning strike. If he couldn't engage Dabura directly, at least he could provide some assistance from the sidelines.

* * *

><p>"They're not doing too bad," KP said. "But I don't know. He should be putting up a better fight, shouldn't he?" He faced Heyman, who had beads of sweat dripping down his temples.<p>

"You're right," whispered Heyman. "Dabura's stronger than this."

* * *

><p>As Infinity Black fired his green lightning, Dabura pursed his lips, firing long flames that met the lightning, cancelling each other out.<p>

"What the shit!" the Black Ranger exclaimed.

Dabura chortled sinisterly as he powered out of the Infinity Rangers' grips, jumping back into the air and thrusting fire bullets toward them. The Rangers leapt out of the way as quickly as they could, the bullets exploding on impact in fiery blazes that extended for a couple of feet each. As Green and Blue recovered, Dabura materialized a large sword in his hand and charged toward Black, who tried to evade him but was unable to move quickly enough with his bruised leg. Dabura swung down on Black but White intervened, attempting to kick the sword away, only to find out he was attacking an afterimage.

"What? Oh, fuck!" White said, looking around for the real demon. "That's bullshit!"

"_You're_ bullshit, you fool!" Dabura said, pushing White's face straight into the floor, cracking the tiles.

* * *

><p>KP snarled, pulling Buffy back several feet to talk privately. "They're getting wrecked in there. I think it's time for me to step in. I need you to stay here so if something goes wrong, you know what to do."<p>

Buffy began to shake her head at the thought of his dismal suggestion. She wouldn't allow him to do this alone. "No, I won't. We just went through this. If you're going, I am too." She could see he was about to speak, so she hurriedly continued. "Look, babe, you're in danger every day at work, and it hurts that I can't be there with you. _This_ is something I can help you with, and you know damn well I'm not passing up that chance! I am _not_ losing you too!"

Unwilling to reopen a sore subject and hurt her further, KP silently sighed, embracing her. "I'm sorry. I just don't want you getting hurt, ya know. I couldn't handle it."

"Don't think about that," she responded into his chest. "Your friends are in trouble and we need to help."

* * *

><p>"I don't believe this," White told himself, propping himself up on his elbows. "None of this is real. This is a simulation. This is not happening!"<p>

"You house marvelous energy." Dabura complimented, walking up to Infinity White. "My master could use your energy to feed the Source."

His sword materialized in his hand again as he raised it above his head. He chuckled sinisterly, slashing downward onto Infinity White's back, the impact causing sparks to fly out of the boy's suit.

"Grid!" Blue shouted from the distance.

Dabura turned to him. "So, you're back up? Excellent. I'm enjoying this torture. The more I torture you, the more energy goes to the Source."

He kicked Infinity White into a wall, disappearing and reappearing in front of Infinity Blue, bashing him in the face with the hilt of his sword. As the boy's head tipped back, Dabura grabbed him by the throat, chokeslamming him.

Infinity Green jumped over to Black, who was only on one knee. "You must've realized by now that none of us can handle this guy alone. We need to go for an all-out combined attack."

"That makes sense," Black replied, saddened by this realization. "What did you have in mind?"

Green clenched his fists, an electrical charge running through them. "We'll only have one shot at this, and we need to make it quick! This guy's too fast and too smart to give us another chance, got it?"

"Right. Let's do this!"

A couple meters away, White punched the floor, frustrated at his lack of knowledge on what was happening around him. He didn't want to believe what was happening wasn't a twisted joke being played on him and his friends, but part of him knew this was far too elaborate to not be something. He pushed himself up to his feet, seeing Green and Black signaling for him to regroup with them.

"What is it?" he asked as he joined them.

"We're gonna finish this with a combined attack," Green explained. "It's the only way. The problem is there's no way we'll be able to get to Drew. Dabura won't let it happen."

"We'll just have to try with the three of us," said White.

"What are you three plotting over there?" Dabura asked nonchalantly. "Ready to give up and be fed directly to the Source?"

"Guess again. I don't know or care what this 'Source' you keep blabbing about is, but I do know one thing for sure... It's Garbage Day, motherfucker!"

Infinity White held out his arms, snakes of green electricity twitching around them. He snarled as the energy built up from his suit, culminating in his hands, to which he fired in a sudden blast.

"You stubborn fools never learn."

Flames breathed from Dabura's mouth, creating a blockade in front of him, but the White Ranger wasn't giving up. He pumped more lightning into the stream. The Green and Black Rangers joined him, firing their own streams of lightning at the wall of fire, the two techniques clashing with equal force.

* * *

><p>"Come on, come on!" Heyman cheered, hoping he wouldn't have to regret his decision of sending such young kids into a dangerous place.<p>

"They're at a stalemate," Buffy claimed, facing KP. "They need more power."

"Not necessarily," said KP, studying the demon. "Look at Dabura. He's focused completely on his offense, leaving him open for another attack. Heyman, tell Snake to attack now while Dabura is distracted!"

Heyman nodded and took to his ear piece.

* * *

><p>Dabura increased the intensity of his flames, forcing the Rangers' lightning back several inches. The flames became a brighter orange.<p>

"Don't give up!" White screamed. "We can't lose to this trash can!"

Black stumbled due to his injured leg, their attack taking a noticeable step back. He forced himself to both feet, holding it steady, though the weight of the attack was causing severe ripples of pain in his leg.

"Snake, this is Heyman! If you can hear me, Dabura is wide open! Now's your chance to finish this!" a voice screamed into the Blue Ranger's helmet.

Still groggy from the chokeslam he received earlier, the Blue Ranger barely understood what Heyman had told him, only hearing the word "attack." He sat up, taking in the scene in front of him. His teammates were losing the battle, being forced back inch by inch; Infinity Black's leg was twitching violently, and there was no way he could maintain this for much longer; he could see Infinity Blue and White's feet slowly sliding back along the floor. The smell of burning rubber wafted past his face, his helmet's heightened sensors bringing it into his nose.

"Snake! Destroy Dabura! Do it now!" Heyman demanded through the intercom.

Infinity Blue held his head as he stood up, trying to remove the pain from his mind as he focused on what he had to do now. Without realizing how he'd done it, a battle axe materialized in his hands, the hilt and edges of the blades a metallic blue. He charged it up with his own lightning, then ran at Dabura with everything he had.

"You're fucking trash!" the White Ranger shouted at Dabura, trying to move forward but unable to. "Come on, guys! We can't lose to this useless character!"

It felt as if their combined lightning beam was poised to be completely overpowered when it suddenly gained traction. The Rangers looked past it, seeing Dabura being electrified and impaled simultaneously by Infinity Blue's axe, losing control of his flames.

"NOW!" Infinity White bellowed, the other Rangers running as hard as they could, pushing their lightning straight into the red demon like a spear.

Dabura's skin was melting right off his muscle, and the muscle was falling off the bone. His blue suit and white cape were disintegrating from the heat of the Rangers' electricity, and he had the Blue Ranger's axe wedged deeply into his upper back. He knew his end would be ensured if he stayed put. With all the strength he could muster, he used an afterimage, escaping certain death.

The Rangers caught on that they were no longer attacking him, stopping their barrage. They grouped together, facing the real Dabura, who had limped his way to a stairwell exit several yards from their location.

"This...isn't over...fools," he gasped, pushing the door open and disappearing into darkness.

"We should go after him! He's way too weak to fight us all off now," Infinity Blue said.

"No," said Green, panting heavily. "We're not exactly in the best shape either, and we have no real idea of what he's capable of. It's best to leave it be right now."

The Black Ranger fell onto his back, huffing and unable to put weight on his right leg any longer.

"Kyo's right," White said. "Heyman, can you hear me?"

"I can hear you, Grid Zero," Heyman responded.

"How do we de-morph?"

"Give the command 'Reverse Drive' and you'll de-morph."

"Reverse Drive!" White shouted. His gauntlet lit up, carrying a white light throughout his suit, then returning, taking the suit with it. He returned to his natural human state, still adorned in the clothes he was wearing prior to the transformation.

"Reverse Drive!" the others shouted, all reverting to their human states as well.

* * *

><p>Heyman, Martin, and the other techs let out a mutual sigh of relief.<p>

"Open the portal," Heyman ordered. "Let's get them out of there." He turned to KP and Buffy, giving a polite nod as they couldn't help but smile with reprieve.

One of the techs entered a series of keystrokes, which started up a green light on the ceiling to signal that the Infinity Rangers were returning home. The light atop the Cyber Gate went green again as well.

* * *

><p>Ten feet from the boys, a large, circular portal opened, swirling mildly as it waited.<p>

"Rangers, that's your ticket home," Heyman explained through the headset.

"It's about fucking time," Grid Zero said.

Kyo and Snake helped Super Saiyan 2 to his feet, carrying him through the portal after Grid.

* * *

><p>The boys emerged from the Cyber Gate back into the real world. They stumbled forward down the ramp, trying to regain their balance and readjust.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes:<strong> The Infinity Rangers managed to stave off their first Big Bad, but at the same time, found out about something potentially far more dangerous. What is the "Source"? And given their hesitance and disbelief, will they remain a team or will Vince Heyman's operation be outed?

**A/N:** If you've already read this and are revisiting it, you might be wondering if you're reading a different story. The reason being is I decided to save a few elements for future chapters, so some things had to be altered, including the big showdown, which also made this part quite a bit shorter. The action and excessive swearing has just begun.

**EDIT 11/27/2014:** I changed the method by which entry to the Cyberspace Dimension is gained in order to make things easier and more coherent in the future.


	2. Part II

**Power Rangers: Infinity**

**Part II**

**Disclaimer:** Apart from intellectual ideas and original characters, I own nothing from this franchise. This work of fiction is not intended to infringe upon the copyrights held by Saban Brands, Toei, Bandai, Bandai America, TV Asahi, and the Nickolodeon Networks. All text contained in this work is covered under the standards of Fair Use.

**A/N:** Wow, it took me more than a month to pop this one out, so I apologize for making any of my readers wait. In regards to the actual story, one change I made part-ways through was just something for aesthetic purposes: instead of "SSJ2/Super Saiyan 2," the character will now be called Matthew unless/until I find a more suitable name for him. Some things I'm just winging right now, so if they don't make sense or sound confusing, that's likely why, but I intend to make everything consistent and clear as much as I can. With that said, read on and enjoy!

* * *

><p>KP and Buffy instantly rushed to the boys. They took SSJ2, relieving Snake and Kyo.<p>

Doors to the room opened and medical personnel entered, tending to their various injuries. SSJ2 tried to refuse the medical help, though he regretted his decision as he stepped forward with his right leg, gritting his teeth and groaning as the same pain he felt in the Cyberspace Dimension became present here. A female nurse that couldn't have been more than twenty years old pressed her hand against the center of his chest, wrapping her arm around his shoulders and holding him up.

"I think you realized you shouldn't be walking on this leg," she said with a wry grin across her face. "I'll help you along until we can get a brace for it."

SSJ2 had to pause and stare at her, amazed she was so young and stunningly adorable. She wasn't a tall woman, but he wasn't exactly a tall guy either, so they appeared relatively the same height. Her scrubs enveloped a young woman's body, not fully developed yet but clearly further along than a teenager's figure.

"Wow," he responded, saying the first thing that came to mind. "I-I mean, thanks. I'm Super Saiyan 2, or Matthew is my real name."

She smiled. "Danielle. Danielle Harris."

Grid Zero and KP glanced at her for a moment, their horror movie recollections drumming up a familiar face.

There was tension in the room as the boys gathered themselves, moving sluggishly toward the center of the room.

Vince Heyman waited as the boys faced him with a mix of emotions. KP and Buffy joined them at one end after Danielle volunteered to assist Matthew. He could tell they were tired by their slouched postures, drowsy eyes, and frowns. It was one of the effects he would need to explain to hopefully keep them on board with the operation.

"I understand you must have a lot of questions for me," Heyman said, accepting that now was the time he needed to use for his explanations. He figured they were angry with him, and it was only natural to be. He'd led them into a fight with potentially grim consequences without properly preparing them. Even though he didn't exactly have the time to do so, he still brought it upon himself. "I'll explain everything and answer all of your questions. I owe you that much. But first let me say I'm very proud of you all, and I apologize for putting you in that situation without being properly briefed first. I always own up to my mistakes, and I am owning up to that one right now."

KP was the first to speak up, crossing his arms. "Kyo brought up a good point before." He surveyed the room again, looking at all of the high-tech monitors, consoles, lights, and particularly the Cyber Gate. "How are you funding all of this? This place must cost millions of dollars. I don't even want to guess how much the Cyber Gate alone cost. You said yourself nobody 'official' knows about this, so the government can't be funding it."

"You're right," said Heyman, thinking of how to word his coming answer. "This place—no, this whole operation—is extravagantly expensive, but let me assure you, KP, it's all legal. I've made some very good and generous friends in my life. You and I can talk about the specifics in private if you'd like."

"We will," responded KP, almost threateningly. "Now, how exactly is the Cyberspace Dimension linked to our world? Obviously some injuries carry over from that place to here."

Heyman glanced at Matthew's leg, giving a very feint nod. "Martin will be able to give you the more minute details, but essentially what happens when you step through the Cyber Gate is your body is converted to digital code. Any injuries you sustain in the Cyberspace Dimension will stay with you when you return to this dimension. If you twist your ankle there, it'll be twisted here. If you break your arm there, it'll be broken here. If you—"

"If you die in there, you're dead in both dimensions," Grid Zero earnestly finished Heyman's sentence with the most radical result.

Without pause, Heyman said, "Yes."

The group was silent as they pondered that reality check. It added a whole new layer to this that they'd hoped wouldn't be real. It had crept on all of their minds throughout the entire time they were there, but now it was out in the open, like Father Death was standing in Vince Heyman's place telling them he could strike at any time and there was nothing any of them could do about it. Death in their normal lives was always a possibility, for some more likely than others, but it was never pressed on them like it was now. To not fully understand something and then be told death was always looming was a sickening feeling.

Heyman began speaking again, trying to bring the group of their solemn daze. "Pakman may not be a global threat as of right now, but he has the potential to be. You've seen what he did to your friend Clearin. I understand you're all still young, and this isn't exactly what you had in mind when you thought about what you'd be doing over summer vacation. It's a lot of responsibility. I wouldn't blame any of you for deciding not to join the team."

"What about my job? No offense to you guys," he said as he gestured to the boys, "but I can't just walk away from my career...like it meant nothing. I swore to protect people. It's my duty. I don't _want_ to give up my job either. I love what I do, and I'm good at it."

Heyman exhaled and said, "I'm not trying to force you to do anything here. I respect what you do, KP. I know a little about law enforcement myself. I met with your chief and made clear to him the significance of this mission. It wasn't easy, but we managed to work out a deal. You don't have to leave your position on the force. You'll split your time between here and there, the specifics of which we can talk about more in-depth should you decide to join the team."

KP wondered why he didn't receive any forewarning or notification of this. Surely someone would've called and left a message. Then he remembered his phone had been off ever since he was escorted to the facility.

"What happens if we all leave?" asked Buffy. "You don't have anyone else to take our places?"

Truthfully, Vince did have in mind a few others. When he decided on his method of recruitment, he made a list of all the potential candidates. The group standing in front of him was the most readily available and qualified in his mind.

"No, but I don't want that to influence your decision," Heyman remarked, trying to conceal his dishonesty the best he could in front of trained lie detectors. "I don't want to force you to do anything against your will. This is all optional."

"How much time do we have to decide?"

"Ideally, I would want an answer as soon as possible, but I understand these types of things can't be rushed."

"That won't be a problem," KP added, shifting around to the other boys. "None of us are doing this."

Heyman felt pressured to bring out the big guns at that comment. "Before you finalize your decision, I believe it's important for you to know a few more things. Should you agree to join the team, this place would become your home." He paused to allow eyebrows to rise. "We have living quarters available specifically set up for those recruited to the Infinity Ranger project. I don't mean to sound like a rental advertisement, but they do come complete with all of the amenities I'd suspect you would want. Any food you'd need would be ordered by the kitchen staff, or you're free to go out and buy from the local stores. There's no need to worry about your academics; I've already contacted your respective schools and they've agreed to allow you to complete all coursework while you're here, as well as provide you with online tutoring if you'd like. Don't get me wrong, you are still expected to keep up your schoolwork. This isn't a free vacation.

"When it comes to the issue of your parents, Matthew and Grid Zero, they've already been contacted as well and have been briefed on the situation at hand. You're not in any trouble—trust me—nor will you be reported as kidnapped or missing."

"What could you possibly have told them to make them okay with this shit?" Grid Zero said with anger, finding it hard to believe his parents would allow him to spend an extended time away without a very good explanation. They weren't strict, but they'd at least want to know what's going on, and he didn't exactly believe Heyman would mention being a Power Ranger.

Heyman clasped his hands in front of his waist. "I told them the truth...more or less. I told them you were being recruited for a special task assigned by the United States government. I told them it was potentially dangerous, but that you were in the best of care and would return home safely to them."

Grid Zero scoffed. "Good thing they don't have to worry. I'll be home soon."

"Like I said, we're not doing this," KP repeated, prompting Heyman's face to sink. "I'm sorry."

This garnered a look from Matthew, who didn't quite understand how KP could come to a decision so quickly and without conferring with them first. Whatever the reason, he trusted the older man to make the right choice, so he kept quiet about his disagreement.

"I must admit, I'm truly disappointed," said Heyman, bowing his head a bit as he sighed deeply. "But with that said..." He pressed on his ear piece. "I'll need an escort to the hangar. Our guests are leaving."

In a matter of minutes, a pair of security guards arrived, gold patches depicting the Infinity logo on their shoulders.

"Let's go, guys," said KP, marching behind one of the guards.

* * *

><p>The group was flown home in the private jet Vince had mentioned. Since Infinity Headquarters was located in the United States, everyone but Matthew and Snake was returned first. It was a lively plane ride as the boys discussed their favorite anime, TV shows, movies, and even their daily lives outside of the forum they frequented. Eventually they all settled into playing Pokémon on the 3DS, though Grid resigned to watching YouTube videos. Despite their joyous demeanor, the thought of what had transpired still beat at the back of their minds.<p>

KP and Buffy remained near the front of the plane, the female snuggled up comfortably against her companion as they recalled the events of at the facility.

"I don't think he was such a bad guy," Buffy said softly, trying to reason in her mind what Vince's motivation was and how he got involved in the first place. "Sure, he ripped us away from a really romantic date and flew us hundreds of miles away just for us to watch your friends almost get killed by some guy from a cartoon, but all that said, he was at least polite about it."

KP sighed, trying to hold in a laugh. He admired her generosity and willingness to forgive. She was different from him in that way. He saw the bad in people whereas she saw the good in them. It was one of the topics that first brought them together in conversation, leading to their first date. Despite that, he worried her kindness would get her in trouble one day, so kept pushing himself at the gym and at his job to make where they lived a safer place for her.

"We don't know anything about him," he stated, hoping she would at least understand that. "Besides, even if what he said is true, he should let the FBI handle it, not a bunch of kids...and not you."

"I know you're only looking out for everyone," she said, retrieving her phone, "but he did come to us for help. He even chose you as the Red Ranger, babe."

KP grumbled as he stared pensively at his phone. He still hadn't turned it on.

"You know you're gonna have to turn that thing on sooner or later, right?" she asked him accusingly, trying to lighten his mood. "How are you gonna watch Netflix when you're supposed to be working?"

"How are you gonna use up all of our data in one week if you don't turn yours on?" he taunted, poking her on the side of one of her breasts.

"I wouldn't have had to use all that data if you would've just fixed the WiFi," she retorted, slipping a hand under his shirt and sliding it slowly across his waistline.

He shifted in his seat, breathing out heavily. "I'm not gonna be able to sleep when we get home, am I?"

She curled her lips, climbing higher on him so that they were eye level with one another. "Mm, that depends."

Matthew shouted, "Bullshit! How was that a one hit kill? That doesn't even make sense!"

"Ancient Chinese secret," Kyo said, comfortably reclined in his leather seat.

"I got winner," said Drew, not looking away from his own furious battle with another forum mate named Itachi.

"Fuck that," Matthew growled. "I'm not stopping until I beat the shit out of you, Kyo. I was so close this time until you pulled that bullshit out of your ass."

Kyo grinned as his string of victories began to irritate his friend.

"So who was that girl you were eye-fucking before?" Grid wondered. He was halfway immersed in a podcast from his favorite wrestler.

Matthew paused, trying to think of a decent response to Grid's frankness.

"Yeah, we all saw it, dude," Drew said.

"She was a high six out of ten for me," Kyo described, tilting his 3DS sideways. "I'm not a huge fan of blondes, and she was a little young for me."

"You're only two years older than me," said Matthew. "Her name is Danielle. I guess she works there."

"She does?" asked Grid. "I thought the badge on her shirt stood for Child Pornography Federation. My bad."

"Fag," rebutted Matthew. "I forgot to get her number. Fuck me." He dropped his 3DS. "Oh, go fuck yourself in the ass, Kyo! That's bullshit again! Fuck your whole team of bullshit!" He tried to stand up but was quickly reminded of his bruised tibia, sitting down and rubbing it gently.

His foe began cracking up with laughter, but quieted down as he noticed his friend's injury, the memories of his experience with Cyberspace Protection Federation resurfacing in his mind. He recalled the stipulations Vince Heyman had laid out for them if they decided to join the team. It was seemingly too late to reconsider, though, and KP was fairly firm in his decision. He wouldn't have minded deliberating some more before coming to a decision, so KP's quick vote for them all ticked him off a bit, but he didn't take it personally. He understood KP's reasoning even if it hadn't been aired in the open for them to hear. KP could be a troll and at times let his anger cloud his judgment, but when seriousness was necessary, he usually buckled down and left the humor at the door.

Kyo had watched the earlier seasons of Power Rangers as a young kid and found them entertaining enough, but like a lot of people he grew older and the show stopped appealing to him. He never thought that kind of thing would become a reality. He didn't even know why Vince would choose something as cheesy as the Power Rangers to base his team's combat uniforms on. Perhaps Vince had a valid reason for doing so, or maybe the old man was obsessed with the show; he didn't have the inclination to ask at the time.

Heyman's deal did have some allure in ways. It would be nice to get away from school and not have to worry about finding a job to pay for rent and other expenses, and being with friends would balance out losing the ones he had at home. On the other hand, the possibility of death or serious injury wasn't one he was too interested in. He wasn't a very athletic person, though he wasn't out of shape. He didn't think he possessed any notable skill that would be useful on a team with his forum friends; being arguably one of the best debaters in the group didn't rank too highly to him.

When he was in battle against the Lycanthropes, it was like something changed in him, or was brought to the surface. His lackadaisical attitude toward exerting himself had largely subsided, and the urge to do his best and help his friends became unrelenting. He felt renewed and like he was making something of himself. He was able to come up with a strategy to handle the beasts, assessing the uses of his teammates and rearranging them the best he felt possible at the time. Admittedly, it wasn't a fool-proof strategy, mostly due to lack of knowledge on what they were getting themselves into and how the suits worked, but it was successful in the end. He mused over the possibility of that being why Vince chose him, but he wouldn't know for sure anymore.

The plane's intercom came on, grabbing the group's attention. "Attention, passengers. We'll be arriving in Austin, Texas in five minutes. Please remain in your seats until the plane has landed and stopped moving. Thank you."

"Well, that's me," said Kyo, turning his 3DS off and sliding it into his pocket.

"You're lucky," Matthew stated. "One more battle and I would've won. I finally figured out the perfect combination to beat you."

Ten minutes later, the plane had landed at a lone airstrip, a silver Chevrolet Tahoe waiting to take Kyo home. As the boy stood by the exit ramp, he turned to the group, his face tense with thoughtfulness.

"Ya know," he began, summing up the ideas in his head, "Vince Heyman never told us how Pakl was able to get Clearin into the Cyberspace Dimension..."

"What are you saying?" asked Drew. He had some clues as to what Kyo was suggesting, but he wasn't sure if he wanted them to be confirmed.

"Watch yourselves and the people you care about," KP clarified. "We don't know enough about this situation to completely ignore it."

"Yeah, pretty much. See you dumb fucks later." Kyo waved lightly as he left the plane.

With Kyo's thought in mind, the rest of the plane ride was rather quiet. Grid was dropped off next, then KP and Buffy, then Matthew. Drew was poised to be dropped off last due to being the furthest away.

* * *

><p>As the journey continued, Drew was engaged in his Pokémon playing, the streaks of lightning going unnoticed to him outside the plane until one particular streak lit up the window so brightly he had no choice but to look.<p>

"Uh, hey, is everything alright? Should we be flying through this?" he called out in hopes the cabin would hear him.

The trembling of the plane caught his attention, and a swift nosedive tore him away from his game playing. He lost hold of his device, watching it fall down and hit the door to the captain's cabin as the plane veered further and further through the sky, seemingly unable to regain control.

Drew's breath shot in and out like bullets as the plane made no attempt at righting itself. Oxygen masks deployed, the one for his seat dropping onto the top of his head, startling him like a spider was the one that had assaulted him. He tightened his seat belt as much as he possibly could, his palms beginning to sweat as his mouth became dry. The plane shook violently as the lightning cracked all around it, Drew finding it extremely difficult not to puke up the snacks he'd had as he was thrown in all directions while the seat belt tugged on his gut and kept him in place.

Items from the cabinets and the stewardess cart flung themselves through the air as the plane started spinning in circles on its downward spiral. He somehow managed to duck out of the way of a metal food tray, but was pelted with shot glasses and ice cubes, the glass inflicting minor scratches. The seat belt tore abruptly, releasing him and sending him on a spinning free fall, smashing into various objects as he was tossed around, unable to grab hold of anything to keep himself stationary.

Through all of the chaos, he wondered how long the plane had been falling. It seemed like several minutes had gone by, but he had no way of checking. He couldn't stay still long enough to retrieve his phone and his 3DS was probably in multiple pieces by now.

He crashed into the side of one of the seats, the arm rest jabbing into his hip and flipping him over, his feet momentarily touching the ceiling before he spun and landed face-first onto it. He was able to notice that the lights were flickering, but this tiny realization cost him. He hit the back of another seat hard, wincing in pain, opening his eyes back up to see the stewardess cart dropping right onto him like a bag of boulders.

* * *

><p>Four days passed fairly quickly and without incident. The former Infinity Rangers resumed their daily lives, including their forum-going activities, some more than others – KP was swamped at work, getting hours of overtime, while Matthew was confined to taking it easy due to his injury, for instance.<p>

Finally setting his Nintendo 3DS down after playing it nonstop since the plane ride, Matthew took to his iPad, pulling up the forums he frequented most often. He chuckled at the same inane crap some people were posting, comparing their minds to fountains of nonstop diarrhea. He checked Naked Snake's profile, seeing that he hadn't logged on since the plane ride.

_Huh, that's odd. You'd think he would at least be on Skype telling the guys about what happened._ The Skype notification sound went off as he finished his thought. _Wow, perfect timing. That's probably him._

Opening the program he saw that it wasn't anyone he cared to talk to. Luckily, the familiar Elite Four theme played from his phone, taking him away from his computer.

The caller ID read "CPF HQ." _Oh, right, I forgot to take that SD card out._

"Hello?"

"There's been an incident."

* * *

><p>Elevator doors opened and Matthew was escorted through hallways he recognized. The guards moved with a sense of urgency that they hadn't had the last time he was there. He came to the Cyber Deployment room again, one of the guards entering the key code to gain access. Upon entering, he saw more employees than last time all cluttered around the computers, some holding electronic clipboards, some in lab coats and some in CPF-issued uniforms, some working at computers and some monitoring from a distance. There were a few men and women in lab coats inspecting the Cyber Gate. The entire scene felt like they were beginning testing on the gate.<p>

Vince Heyman emerged from a group by the computers, adorned in a more formal, black militaristic suit with the CPF badge on his left breast and two short gold stripes on top of each shoulder as well as on each wrist cuff. He headed straight for Matthew.

"Welcome back, Matthew," Vince Heyman said. He was handed a clipboard by an employee, quickly signing off on it and sending the employee on her way.

"When do I go in?" Matthew asked with determination. _The sooner I get in there, the sooner you come out, Drew._

"Right now, but you're not going alone."

"I'm not? Who else is coming with?"

The doors to the room slid apart again, and Grid Zero and Kyo jogged in, taking spots next to their friend.

Matthew was pleasantly surprised to see Grid Zero again. "You came back, too? I didn't think you'd ever leave your PC again."

Grid replied, "Don't get me wrong. I didn't come back to be 'part of the team,' and I still think this whole operation is a joke taken way too far, but...Drew is my friend. I have to at least see what's going on for myself." He turned and headed up the ramp of the gate, clenching his fists. "Let's do this."

Kyo stopped midway up the ramp. "Wait a sec."

"What is it?" asked Grid.

Kyo turned his upper body toward Heyman. "Do we have a plan?"

Heyman opened his mouth slightly.

"We go in, find Drew if he's really in there, and bring him back," said Grid, intercepting Heyman. "If anyone gets in our way, we take them out."

With a feint shrug, Kyo said, "That's _a_ plan, I suppose..." _I'll have to work out the details when we're inside._

Heyman sighed, motioning to the gate keeper. "Open the portal!"

The light on top of the Cyber Gate switched to green as the misty blue plasma erupted on the wall inside the gate's confines. The boys sprinted in without a second thought. They were going to get their friend back no matter what.

Once the boys had disappeared into the gel-like substance, Heyman exhaled softly. "Good luck, boys." While this was an unfortunate way for it to happen, he was hoping this experience would bring them around to reconsidering his offer, though he did have alternatives in mind.

* * *

><p>Electric currents ripped through Naked Snake's body, frying his insides little by little. He bellowed out in searing agony as his body tensed up uncontrollably until the electricity had run its course, leaving him crumpled over in the confines of the steel chair he was cuffed to. He coughed as he forced his eyes to stay dry. His vision had blurred as his consciousness slipped in and out. He could tell the room was dimly lit, but any idea of where he was being held was absent from his mind.<p>

From a distance, two figures watched his misfortune. One was Dabura, wounds still scantily placed around his body to represent his battle with the Infinity Rangers. The other being was noticeably shorter than Dabura, coming up to Dabura's knees at best, and resembled a bug-eyed toad mixed with a rat. An orange cape was wrapped from his shoulders and draped down nearly to the floor. The same curled "M" that was present on Dabura's belt buckle and forehead was also present on the midget's belt buckle.

"It's strange," Dabura admitted. "When we fought before, I was able to detect a large aura of energy, but here now, he's nothing special. Perhaps he's resisting somehow, but it won't be long before he's drained completely."

"I wonder when the others will show up to rescue their doomed friend?" the midget guffawed. "The Source will certainly be pleased with the energy we steal from them!"

Dabura chuckled sinisterly as he stepped forward. "Indeed."

"Do you think you can handle them when they arrive?" asked the midget.

Dabura scoffed at such an inquiry. "Of course, master. They only made it out alive last time because I underestimated them. That's a non-issue, though. They'll never reach me with Thunder Lips as their first adversary."

The midget gleamed confidently. "Excellent. Carry on, Dabura. I love to hear them squeal."

Dabura walked up to Snake's position and raised his palm, fire brimming from its center. He flung his hand out, smacking Snake's face.

Snake spat on the floor, trying to mentally prepare himself for more torture.

"Are you looking for that device you used in our last battle?" Dabura questioned.

He whacked him across the face again.

"Ah, I get it!" Dabura smiled like the Grinch devising a sinister plan. _So that's where all of his power came from. I see now._ "To be able to grant so much power...it's quite a useful tool. A 'morpher,' was it? Whatever it's called, it can't help you here. You're all alone. Even if those annoying friends of yours show up, they'll be greeted by some of my hand-picked soldiers. They won't make it past the first level. We're all the way on the fifth."

_The first level?_ Through the pain, Drew wondered what Dabura meant. _Why does that sound like a video game? Either way, I hope the guys can handle themselves. I don't know how much more of this I can take..._

Another whack, harder this time.

The towering demon put a hand to the back of Snake's head, then shoved his knee into the boy's face several times. When he removed it, blood dropped from Snake's nose and eyes onto his lap like water pouring from a broken dam.

* * *

><p>Grid Zero, Matthew, and Kyo had found themselves tromping through a forest-like environment. Trees wrapped around themselves in endless, unorganized rows, with leaves bigger than their heads. The humidity and heat were at a surprisingly comfortable level for a place that looked like it should be smoldering hot.<p>

Heyman's voice crackled over the communicators as the boys trekked through the forestry. "We tracked Snake's signal to this area, but we can't get a direct lock on it. He must be underground."

"We'll find him," said Grid.

"It appears something is blocking the signal. When you guys go deep enough, we might be unable to communicate, so be careful."

"Sounds like something my ex would say," Grid whispered.

"How are we communicating in the first place?" asked Kyo. "We're in a different dimension."

There was radio silence.

"I'll explain later," Heyman responded in a quick manner. "There isn't much time."

"Hey, guys!" Matthew shouted from several yards in front of them. "Look at this thing!"

Grid and Kyo found their teammate pointing at a clearing in the foliage. Embedded in the ground was a circular metal door with a strange "M" on it.

"The Majin symbol..." remarked Grid. "That's gotta be where Drew is. Let's go."

"Hold on," said Kyo. "We can't just go barging in there. We need a plan."

"What? What kind of plan could we come up with in this situation?" Grid asked impatiently. "There's a door in the ground. We go through the door and get Drew. The more time we waste out here the more time he loses."

Kyo held his tongue. _He's got a point, but at the same time we don't know what we're up against. We could be walking right into a trap._

Grid hopped over the log in front of them, sprinting to the metal door, Matthew following. Kyo gave an annoyed sigh before heading after them. They met at the door, expecting to blast their way in, but it slid open on its own, leaving a dark void in its place with stairs leading downward.

"All right!" Matthew exclaimed, running right into the darkness.

Grid and Kyo ran in. The tunnel was surprisingly short, their trip lasting only about thirty seconds before they landed in a room with a single door opposite where they came in.

"This is vaguely familiar," Kyo mentioned, shifting around to scan the whole room.

"Damn, Drew isn't here," growled Grid. He spotted the door some distance from them. "Let's head through that door. It's not like we have much of a choice."

A nasally voice reverberated around the room, catching the boys off-guard.

"Greetings!"

Kyo hung his head in disappointment. "Aw, fuck. Now I know what's going on here."

The voice cackled loudly, prompting irritated groans from the boys.

"I'm glad you came! I've been waiting, and so has your friend!"

Grid shouted, "I don't have time for this bullshit. Just let him go and we'll leave."

"Such anger! Much rage! No patience! Oh, I love it! You'll do perfectly!" the voice said gleefully. "Your friend isn't doing too well. I'm afraid he doesn't have much time left. If you want him back, you'll have to get through my elite warriors!"

Grid clenched his fists. "Is that it? That'll be easy. We'll be out of here in no time."

"Fufufufufuu...Overconfidence as well. All right, enjoy your last moments!"

The door opened upward and a lanky alien stepped out, dressed in a black spandex singlet with white armor covering his chest and shoulders. He had a long skull, murky green eyes, and abnormally large, full lips.

"Pui-Pui?" inquired Kyo. _This really is what I thought. In that case..._

Heyman's voice finally made it over their intercoms. "Rangers, be careful. You're up against a powerful entity known as Master Babadook. He's one of Pakman's generals, and specializes in personnel recruitment as well as manipulation. That creature you're about to battle is called Thunder Lips. Watch out for his speed."

Thunder Lips hopped up and down in place for a few seconds, cracking his knuckles before pointing at the boys. "Hah, my master told me to be careful with you, but you don't look all that tough. I'm Thunder Lips, one of the strongest creatures in the universe! I will crush your skulls into powder and drink it for lunch!"

He crouched down and took off, jumping from wall to wall, floor to ceiling with what would normally be impressive speed. "I am the champion of Planet Kui!" He charged at Grid. "With my speed, you'll never survive this encounter!"

Grid Zero could barely follow Thunder Lips' movement, finding himself on his back in seconds. Thunder Lips proceeded to punching the downed Grid, but Kyo and Matthew intervened, tackling him to the floor. They worked together, pounding Thunder Lips relentlessly, eventually letting up and moving away from him to observe the beaten foe.

Thunder Lips coughed up blood, only able to lift his head to view his attackers. His teeth were knocked out and he looked cartoonishly disoriented.

"Forgive me, master," he uttered before his body blew up into bits and pieces of data.

Matthew looked at the data bits as they dissolved, stunned at how easily they'd beaten their enemy. "What the fuck? How? Just...what?"

"I am wasting my fucking time!" Grid yelled.

Taking away from Grid's rage, the door Thunder Lips had entered from opened again.

* * *

><p>Master Babadook's rat-like nose twitched strongly as he watched the destruction of one of his henchmen. He squeezed his hands together as he tried to calm himself.<p>

"Master, what was it you summoned me for?" Dabura asked, showing up behind him.

Babadook shook his head angrily. "I don't get it. He was defeated effortlessly."

Even Dabura was slightly taken aback by this, but remained calm in the presence of his master. "There's no need to worry. Thunder Lips wasn't truly one of your elites. A wounded Lycanthrope could have defeated him. This was merely a practice phase—a warm-up, if you will—before the real game begins."

Babadook tapped a button on his keyboard as he observed the boys appearing on the second level. "A practice phase? Hm, yes, you're right, but now they'll really be in for it. Send in Yukon."

Dabura grinned proudly. "Yukon? This should be quick."

* * *

><p>The second level was largely the same as the first. The single door opened up and a tall beast with a mouthful of jagged teeth crawled out, stretching its hands that ended with five-inch-long black claws.<p>

Heyman piped in, "Yukon? We've never seen him, but we've heard stories of his power. He's much stronger than your last foe, so don't let your guard down."

"This is just another waste of time," Grid stated.

_I doubt we can take this guy without our Ranger powers. He gives off the feeling of being much stronger than the last guy._ Kyo jumped over next to Grid. "I think it's time to get a bit more serious, yeah?"

Grid sighed, contemplating the decision. He knew Kyo was probably right. Even if this Yukon beast wasn't that much stronger than Thunder Lips, he was massive, easily dwarfing them in size, weight, and strength. Three teenage boys wouldn't be able to take him down on their own.

The lights suddenly went off, prompting gasps from the boys as they lost track of their foe.

Grid cursed, now having no choice. He took out his phone. "All right, ready?"

Matthew and Kyo stood side by side next to him, despite their visibility being none. "Ready."

"Execute Infinity Drive!"

Their Ranger exo-suits enveloped them, filling them with adrenaline and power as well as giving them night vision that lacked the annoying drawback of lighting up from brightness.

* * *

><p>Dabura watched from the monitors, excited to see the boys in their Ranger forms again. <em>Ah, there's that marvelous energy from before. This confirms that it's the morpher that houses the power, not the pathetic human.<em> He observed the fight as it began, watching Infinity White grapple with Yukon and back off as Green and Black shot in from the sides to deliver powerful blows to Yukon's exposed ribcage. "Even giving Yukon the advantage of darkness isn't enough. It appears they can fight without light."

Master Babadook didn't find this information nearly as interesting, growing annoyed at how resilient the Rangers were to his forces. He growled lowly. "Maybe I was too hasty sending Yukon in right away. I don't have anyone stronger than him except for you."

"Then I will go to the next stage and deal with them myself. I'll get all the energy they possess and then dispose of them."

"You had better. If you fail, I'll have no one else!"

"I will not fail. Trust me, Master Babadook."

He peered at the monitors again, a bead of sweat dripping down his temple as he witnessed Yukon being overloaded with green electricity, which lit up the entire room.

* * *

><p>Yukon expanded to triple his size before dissolving into data particles on the floor. The Rangers moved on without a second thought, delving into the next level, where they found Dabura waiting for them.<p>

"To be honest, I'm glad you made it this far," Dabura commented. "I was getting anxious waiting for the chance to finally destroy you."

Infinity Black scoffed. "You sure you don't wanna run away again?"

Dabura laughed loudly. "Ah, you humans display such odd behaviors when faced with death. Speaking of death..."

A hologram appeared beside Dabura. Drew was lying on a floor in a half-lit room, his clothes torn to reveal various wounds, blood splotched along the floor.

"Your friend isn't looking too good. I'd give him another thirty minutes at best before his wounds overcome him."

Infinity White tensed up, hit with a remorseful feeling. Up to this point, he hadn't been taking this seriously, still believing this to be a game or a trick. He came back out of curiosity, but now seeing one of his friends in such a dreadful state was a slap of reality. He wouldn't let Drew down.

In a blaze of white light, the White Ranger soared at Dabura in a rage, socking him with a haymaker right in the jaw. The collision appeared like it was going in slow motion, Dabura's head and jaw morphing from the impact, saliva oozing from the demon's mouth, his eyes wide from the shock of it all.

The demon went flying into the wall twenty feet away, sliding down to his butt before picking himself up, huffing as he adjusted his face. He was given hardly any time for his world to stop spinning before the White Ranger assaulted him, turning into a blur of dazzling white light that began to hit him from every angle.

Feeling himself being worn down by constant jabs and backhands, Dabura summoned a large shockwave that blasted Infinity White away from him, finally allowing himself to breath.

"That wasn't very fun," Dabura snarled. "How about you try some of this?!"

He heaved up a long wave of flames directed right at the White Ranger, who got up in time to dodge, but the flames followed him.

"GHUGH!" Dabura screamed as Infinity Green's knee found its way into his groin, stopping his flames.

As he bent over to tend to his groin, Infinity Black dropped in from above with a hard double-handed smash right to the back of his head, knocking him flat on the floor.

Green and Black jumped back beside White, regrouping to view the result of their first onslaught. They were disappointed, to say the least.

Dabura pulled himself up to his feet, visibly gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. _These humans are stronger than I originally gave them credit for. They shouldn't have been able to land such an offense as that. It pains me to think this, but if I take them for fools anymore, I may be done in._

A cherry red aura sparkled around him as he grunted and summoned a broad sword that looked like it could chop right through an oak tree.

"Well, shit," Infinity Black said bluntly. "Hey, Drew had that axe! We should have weapons too."

"We do," Infinite Green said as a staff about as tall as him materialized in his hands. On either end was a long blade. The staff itself had green accents around it to signify that it was his personal weapon.

Black looked to see White wielding a steel sledgehammer, the hammer piece given white trim. He held up his hands, surprised to see two silver daggers appear in them. The blades were outlined with black titanium, giving it a more matte look.

"Fuck yeah," Black said, delighted to see some of his favorite weapons.

Dabura snorted, then flew at them, his sword to his side. He swung the sword outward, the Rangers jumping out of its way. He pursued them, a clash of weapons unfolding. With the addition of weapons, it seemed their battle was mostly even, though Dabura had more tricks up his sleeve, such as afterimage sorcery, using it to get behind the Rangers.

With a solid kick, the demon launched the White Ranger into the air. As the Green Ranger realized what had happened, he was hit with the side of the demon's sword, which was so wide that it acted as a paddle, flipping him sideways into the wall. The Black Ranger slashed vigorously with his daggers, Dabura parrying him. Having little experience with weapon fighting of any kind, Black was surprised to find himself keeping up as well as he was against Dabura, surmising that his suit was somehow to thank.

Infinity Black fended off a strike from Dabura's sword, throwing it up and using his other dagger to stab into Dabura's gut. A brief moment of relief was thwarted when it turned out to be another afterimage. The real Dabura came from behind, slashing Black across the back, sparks flying out as his suit was hit. Black fell forward, crawling away. Dabura swung his sword down again, barely missing as Black sprung up and jumped out of reach.

Infinity White came back with a vengeance, swinging his sledgehammer like he was trying to knock down a brick wall. Dabura was caught off-guard by the attack, finding he had to jog backwards to avoid each swing. From the left, Infinity Green slid in, scraping the floor with his bladed staff as he aimed for Dabura's feet. White reeled back for another swing, giving Dabura just enough time to spit out a flame bullet and ascend into the air away from Green's staff, though the flame bullet was batted away by Infinity White's sledgehammer.

"This is taking too long!" Infinity White said to his teammate, beginning to breath heavier. "It's obvious Dabura is trying to stall us as long as he can."

"You're probably right," said Infinity Green, his breathing also noticeably less calm than earlier, his back also slightly slouched over. "We're gonna have to figure out a way to disorient him. That's the only way we won last time—because he wasn't expecting Drew's attack."

The Black Ranger landed next to them. He seemed to be in better physical condition than the other two. He raised his daggers as he prepared to attack again. "Guys, what's the plan?"

"Me and you will hold off Dabura and try to keep him away from Grid," said Green.

Black gave him a puzzled look.

Green faced White. "Drew channeled his electricity through his axe last time. You should logically be able to do the same thing with your sledgehammer. Do that and when we've got Dabura in position, hit that motherfucker as hard as you can. If we do this right, there's no way he should be able to survive."

"Would you colored-coded weaklings like some tea and a newspaper to enhance your trivial chat?" Dabura interjected, landing in front of them.

"Eat a dick!" Black shouted, dashing at Dabura with his daggers in opposite positions of each other. Him and Green charged Dabura, pushing him back away from White.

White began charging up his sledgehammer with as much electricity as he could muster. He watched as his teammates battled, an odd sense of joy flowing through him. Was he actually having fun? Even if this all ended up being a simulation, it was becoming more difficult for him to be angry at Vince Heyman.

* * *

><p>At CPF headquarters, Heyman was distressed over the loss of communication with his Ranger team due to the signal jammer. His eyes looked at monitors that displayed nothing, and the intercom offered only an unsettling silence. He gripped his phone tightly as he thought over what he'd do if the boys were gone for too long. He had options, but he didn't want to lose hope for the boys this early. He did hand pick those three as his most qualified candidates, after all. If he gave up so easily on them, what would that say about his ability to lead? What would that say about the boys? He couldn't do that to himself or them.<p>

He began to pace around the room anxiously.

"Sir, they're here," his radio buzzed from a guard in the hangar.

Heyman's head perked up and he grasped the radio from his belt. "Great. Send them to the deployment room immediately!"

"10-4."

"Get the Cyber Gate ready for another deployment!" Vince commanded. The techs worked in the code to prepare the gate as he stood and waited for the arrival of what he hoped was his saving grace. He glanced back at the blank TV monitors, knowing he'd be disappointed but choosing to look anyway.

The doors to the room slid open. Heyman's face brightened with alleviation.

* * *

><p>The battle between Dabura and the three Infinity Rangers waged on. Infinity Green and Infinity Black were doing their best to hold Dabura back while Infinity White charged up his sledgehammer with electricity.<p>

_What's he doing over there?_ Dabura wondered, noticing that Infinity White hadn't been attacking him for several minutes. _His weapon...is he increasing its power? I won't let allow it!_

Dabura lunged for Infinity White, but Infinity Green's bladed staff stopped him in his tracks. Sword and blade collided continuously as the two tried to force the other back. Dabura had the size advantage for sure, standing almost three feet taller than Infinity Green, but the Ranger was quicker and more agile than him, seemingly evening them out for the moment. Dabura used his height advantage to blow fire from his mouth from above, forcing Green to roll away. As he did, Infinity Black stabbed Dabura's bicep with one of his daggers, jamming the other into the demon's quadricep, the demon grunting in agony and anger.

Dabura dropped his sword, turning and thrusting both arms out to grab Infinity Black, leaving himself open to Infinity Green stabbing his staff clean through his other leg, pinning that leg to the floor. Dabura shrieked as the two Rangers grabbed his arms, holding him in place.

"Grid!" yelled Infinity Green.

"Waste this motherfucker!" Black shouted.

_It's now or never!_ Infinity White lowered his sledgehammer, trailing it along the ground as he sprinted toward Dabura, the hammer discharging electricity that burned the floor as it went.

"THOR'S HAMMER STRIKE!"

Infinity Green and Black blurred out of the way as White swiveled the sledgehammer up at Dabura, whose look of pure terror was well worth the wait. Trails of white vaporous light followed the hammer along the floor, the air visibly bending from the force of the object as it moved. Electricity exploded off the hammer as it neared Dabura's face, creating a light show that blinded the immediate area. Dabura shouted madly as he was consumed. For what seemed like an entire minute, the light from the hammer covered the whole room.

"Did it work?" Infinity Black asked loudly, the sound of the electricity crackling making it difficult to hear if his teammates were speaking to him.

"I don't know! I can't tell yet!" replied Infinity Green. "Wait, I see...something. It's Grid!"

With the light faded and visibility back, Infinity White hunched over his sledgehammer, panting, the weapon still smoking from his Thor's Hammer Strike.

"We got the faggot..." he said, righting his posture. His sledgehammer disappeared in a flash of white light.

"Not yet, you fools."

That deep, suave voice shot out from the other end of the room, revealing Dabura hunched over against the wall, his face and neck frazzled with burn marks. He coughed several times.

"Aw, what the fuck! I made a cool name for that attack and everything!" Infinity White groaned. _Damn, how the hell did he survive that? I hit him dead on!_

"He must've used an afterimage," concluded Infinity Green. "There's no way he could've survived that attack directly." _This isn't good. Grid used up a lot of power on that last attack, and me and Q probably can't beat this guy on our own, even if he's lost some power from the battle._

"Very perceptive," said Dabura, showing signs of pain as he stepped toward the Rangers. "But perceptiveness won't help you win here. I still have one surprise left for you." He materialized a remote control in his hand, holding it up for the Rangers to witness. "Right now your friend is being guarded by a dozen of my soldiers. If I press this button, they'll kill him instantly."

"Fuck," whispered Infinity Green.

"So you have two choices," Dabura continued, pushing off from the wall. "You can either pursue me and be responsible for your friend's death, or you can watch me leave and then try fruitlessly to get to your friend before he dies of shock anyway. Which is it?"

* * *

><p>Master Babadook gleefully wriggled in his chair as his most loyal servant produced a grand ultimatum for the Infinity Rangers.<p>

"Moments like these are so arousing..."

He typed in a code on his computer. Intense vibrations stemmed from his seat, prompting him to lean back, close his eyes, and enjoy himself as his plan succeeded.

Three glowing pink arrows stabbed into the console, exploding and causing Babadook to jump out of his chair like a frightened feline. He rolled over onto his hands and knees, face to face with a white boot cuff accented in red. He began to tremble as he peered up, recognizing the similarities between the two individuals towering over him and the three fighting Dabura.

"N-n-no, it can't b-be!" he shrieked, crawling back to his chair. "Dabura couldn't have failed!"

Upon getting a clearer look at them, he figured out that they weren't the ones that Dabura had been fighting. These two were different. They were in the same uniforms as the three boys, but the taller one was color-coded in a metallic red, and the shorter one color-coded in a hot pink – the Red and Pink Infinity Rangers. There were subtle differences between them. Pink's "eyes" were angled further inward, and her "teeth" were thinner, to accentuate a more aggressive expression; Red's frame protruded more sharply at the shoulders, similar to a bat's wings. While Infinity Pink wielded a bow and arrow that looked like it could be serve multiple functions, Infinity Red held a sword designed to appear almost like a red-and-black flame.

Babadook shouted in defiance and terror as the two marched toward him.

* * *

><p>Dabura tauntingly moved his finger back and forth over the red button on his remote.<p>

"Well, Rangers? Have you decided between me or your friend?"

The Rangers conferred within their group.

"What do we do?" asked Infinity Black. "I say we blitz him. We're fast enough."

Infinity Green shook his head. "Q, go home, you're drunk. We can't risk that against someone like Dabura. He's too...crafty? I think that's the word."

"You mean he's a cowardly faggot," Infinity White interjected. "He knows he can't beat us fair and square so he's pulling this shit. We can't attack him."

"Come on, guys! There are still three of us and only one of him!" Black insisted.

"No!" White declared with a firm fist. "Say we do attack and we do manage to disarm Dabura, but the remote accidentally falls on the floor and sends the signal to his fag soldiers. What then? Are you willing to bear that burden? I'm not. Trust me, I wanna beat the shit out of this guy just as much as you do, but we lost that opportunity. Drew is our main concern right now, got it?"

Black was stunned by his friend's assertiveness. He processed the pros and cons of the situation, realizing his teammates were right.

"All right, we'll let him go," he said softly. _This time..._

Dabura gave a snide grin as the Rangers appeared to back down. "Your loyalty to your friends is your biggest weakness." He pressed the button on the remote, the Rangers eliciting cries of betrayal.

Nothing happened. Dabura glanced at the remote, pressing the button again. Still nothing.

"What's wrong with this blasted thing?" he wondered, prodding it and waving it around.

"Your signal won't get through." A deep, twisted, sinister voice pierced the room.

"What? Who was that?" Dabura asked angrily. He located the source of the voice at the door he'd entered through. He gulped. "What the—Master Babadook!"

In the clutches of Infinity Red was Master Babadook, his mouth gagged with shreds of his own orange cape.

"Release him at once!" Dabura demanded.

"Hey, it's KP!" Infinity Black blurted out eagerly. "The fuck? Is that Babidi?"

"You just now realized what was going on here?" Infinity Green chuckled.

"Eat a dick," Black retorted.

"Man, am I glad to see him," said Infinity White. "But I don't get it. How did he stop Dabura?"

"We destroyed your computer system," explained the Red Ranger. "Without that, your signal can't transmit, and it also can't block ours, so we're free to communicate with each other now."

_That must be why we haven't heard anything from Heyman in a while_, Green figured.

Dabura snorted. "Big deal. Your friend is still locked away on the fifth level, dying as we speak. You'll never reach him in time."

"Actually..." Red trailed off, stepping away from the door.

Dabura's eyes bulged as he watched the Pink Ranger stroll through, Drew in her arms, taking her place next to her companion. The boy's breathing was scarce, but he was alive.

"It's over," Red declared, tossing the unconscious Babadook onto the floor by Dabura's feet.

Dabura shook from his anger. He was out of options, and even his master was no help to him now. He couldn't fight back or flee. He was simply trapped.

"You think this is it?" he seethed. "You think it ends with us? You're clueless! Lord Pakman's plans are foolproof. He can't be stopped. Even as we speak, a creature much more powerful than myself is being built, and thanks to you, it's even closer to completion! I may perish today, but I served my purpose. My only regret is not being able to watch Lord Pakman kill you all."

He cackled madly, but was abruptly cut off by the event of two daggers decapitating him. A staff sliced through his midsection. A sledgehammer separated his two halves. His body parts fell to the floor, bursting into data.

"Finally," muttered Infinity Black.

"Drew!" exerted Infinity White, his visor sliding away to reveal his eyes and some of his face as he ran over to the Pink Ranger.

She set Drew upright for White and Green to support, stepping over to Red. "Here, he'll need this." She handed his morpher to White.

"Thanks."

"Let's get back to our world," Red ordered. He spoke into his communicator. "Vince, we're ready."

"The portal is opening now," Heyman said from the other end.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes:<strong> Even though the Rangers managed to rescue their friend, they learned that Pakman's operation goes much further than just Dabura. Will they remain together as a team with this new information, or still decide to go their separate ways? What _are_ Pakman's plans, and how many more fighters like Dabura are there?

**A/N:** Again, I apologize for the long wait between chapters. If you waited all this time and were disappointed, feel free to let me know. If you waited and weren't disappointed, that's even better. I hope to get the next chapter out soon now with the holidays ending.


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